NEWARK —Essex County College graduated its largest-ever class Friday of 1,502 students, which included a young woman whose family has also been educated at the school.

College president Gale Gibson emphasized the college’s current success and potential in an interview before the ceremony at the Prudential Center.

“We have the largest number of STEM (Science Technology Engineering Math) students in this class," Gibson said. "We have 13 students with 4.0 GPAs and a number of students going to Ivy League institutions. I think that at this point in our history, we are poised to do great things.”

The college sends more of its graduates to Rutgers-Newark, New Jersey Institute of Technology and Montclair State University than any other two-year college in the state, ECC spokeswoman Yla Eason said in a news release. Due to its 46 percent black and 26 percent Hispanic population, the college is an official predominantly black institution and designated Hispanic-serving institution, Eason said.

“As always in urban education, we are concerned with our retention and graduation rates," Gibson said. "They are steadily increasing. We put a number of intentional interventions in place so that we can create greater student success, so I’m really pleased about that. “We have a number of certificate programs and with the new degree programs such as logistic supply management and cyber security, our students are prepared to go into the world and work.”

Sofia Medina, a member of the Class of 2014, was recognized during the ceremony as one of two Jack Kent Cooke scholars at ECC. She is a member of the honor society and earned an associate degree in biology/ premedicine. As part of the award, she will receive a transfer scholarship of $90,000 to study public health at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore.

“For me, it’s a great milestone. When I started at ECC, it was a great opportunity. I didn’t have any other means because of my parents’ financial circumstances. So when I graduated from high school, it was very devastating because I thougth it wouldn’t enable me to get a higher education,” Medina said.

Medina’s parents and three brothers have all been educated at ECC. The Medina family immigrated from Ecuador when Sofia and her siblings were children and chose ECC because it was an affordable option for education.

“The college was a very good option and helped me be very efficient in my work. It gave me the confidence to start my own business,” said Sofia’s father, Jose Medina Sr.

Although Sofia’s father studied architecture in Ecuador, he had to learn English once arriving in the United States. He now runs a small architecture and design firm called Architechtonics in Bayonne.

Sofia’s mother, Sonia, said that “it was a blessing because [ECC] treats alums like family. It’s very personal. They give support, so it’s not just academic, it’s personal and human.”

Sonia also said she admires the school's strong alumni network. She said that after graduating, her sons still get together with other ECC alumni and give each other advice and support.

The oldest Medina son, Jose Jr., graduated ECC in 2006 as a Jack Kent Cooke scholar. After earning his bachelor's and master's degrees at the Georgia Institute of Technology, he now works for Black & Veach, an infrastructure firm headquartered in Kansas.

Another brother, Sebastian, graduated ECC in 2011 and will soon attend Columbia University in New York City for his master's degree in architecture. Sofia’s brother Pedro studies music at ECC and her mother will soon study business there.

“We’re all very proud," Jose Jr. said of his siblings’ success. "When I was at Essex I was very motivated, and I owe that drive to my parents. I think my success was very much due to that but when I finished my schooling, each one of them in their own way went above and beyond. I thought I did well, but these kids just did amazing.”